Nissan's French dealer fight turns bloody ; A senior executive leaves as the effort to merge with Renault's network in France proves harder than expected.

Automotive News Europe,  February, 2002  by De Saint-Seine, Sylviane

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The painful restructuring of Nissan France's dealer network has claimed a victim - managing director Vincent de Laurens, who quit in early February.

Nissan has been in a legal battle with its French dealers since 1999 when it began pushing them to merge with Renault outlets. Renault bought control of Nissan in 1999.

Laurens job has been a tough one, facing a broad-based coalition of dealers in court.

"Vincent de Laurens left on his own accord, he wasn't pushed out," said Nissan France spokesman Claude Hugo. "But undoubtedly his job was a high-pressured ...

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